Your 2026–2027 Tax Bill
A companion to the Treasurer’s official notice below. The notice has all the exact figures; this FAQ answers the questions we hear most at the counter. Thank you, and if you have questions not answered here, please call 802-223-5915.
When will I get my bill, and when is it due?
Bills mail on July 20, 2026. Your due date is printed on the bill itself. If you haven’t received yours by early August, contact the Town Office, and we’ll get you a copy.
What are the three rates on my bill?
Your total tax rate is three separate rates added together. The education rate ($2.1691 homestead) is set by the State of Vermont and funds schools statewide. The municipal rate ($0.8210) funds the town budget your neighbors voted at Town Meeting — roads, plowing, town services. The local agreement rate ($0.0026 — about $2.60 a year on a $100,000 assessment) covers the veterans’ property-tax exemption Middlesex voters approved. Together: $2.9927 per $100 of assessed value for homestead properties.
Why did the education rate go up about 20 cents?
Mostly because of something called the CLA (see next question). The State sets a base education rate for everyone, then adjusts each town’s rate to account for how out-of-date that town’s property assessments are. Middlesex’s assessments have fallen further behind market values this year, so the State’s adjustment pushed our rate up. This increase comes from the State’s education funding formula — it is not an increase in town spending, and the Select Board and Treasurer cannot change it.
What is the CLA, in one sentence?
The Common Level of Appraisal is the State’s measurement of how close our assessments are to real market values — and at 56.47%, it means the average Middlesex property is assessed at only about 56 cents on the dollar of what it would actually sell for today.
Does the CLA change my assessment?
No. The number on your bill stays the same. Instead, the State raises the education rate so that you pay roughly what you would if your property were assessed at full market value. In other words: your assessment is artificially low, so the rate is correspondingly high. The two roughly cancel out — that’s the design.
Why does Middlesex need a reappraisal? Will it raise my taxes?
A reappraisal updates every assessment to current market value at once. When that happens, assessed values will rise substantially on paper — and at the same time the CLA returns to about 100%, so the education rate drops correspondingly. For the average property, the dollars owed stay roughly the same. A reappraisal doesn’t raise the town’s total taxes; it makes sure each property pays its accurate share. Properties that have appreciated faster than the town average may pay somewhat more, and slower-than-average properties somewhat less — which is the point: fairness, not revenue.
What’s the difference between the homestead and non-homestead rates?
The homestead rate ($2.9927) applies to your primary residence if you have filed a Homestead Declaration (Form HS-122) with the Vermont Department of Taxes. The non-homestead rate (approximately $2.87) applies to other property — second homes, camps, commercial property, and homes with no declaration on file. If you live here year-round and haven’t filed your HS-122, contact the Vermont Department of Taxes or visit tax.vermont.gov — filing late is better than not filing.
What is the State Property Tax Credit?
Vermont reduces education taxes for eligible households based on income. If you filed a Homestead Declaration and property tax credit claim with your state taxes, any credit appears directly on your bill and reduces what you owe. Credit amounts are confidential by law — the Town cannot discuss one household’s credit with anyone else.
Quick example
A homestead property assessed at $100,000: $100,000 ÷ 100 × $2.9927 = $2,992.70, before any property tax credit or veterans’ exemption.
Who do I call?
Billing and payment questions: the Town Treasurer. Copies of bills, homestead status, or anything else: the Town Clerk’s Office, (802) 223-5915, open Tuesday–Thursday 9:00–5:00 and by appointment Fridays and Mondays. We would far rather answer a question early than untangle a problem late — please call.
TREASURER REPORT
Your 2026 Property Tax Rate— “In a Nutshell”
The Town of Middlesex expects to mail the 2026–2027 property tax bills by July 20, 2026.
Education Tax Rate and the CLA
The State of Vermont has set the education property tax rates for the 2026 property tax year.
The Homestead Education Tax Rate is $2.1691 per $100 of assessed value. Last year’s rate was $1.9679, resulting in an increase of approximately 20 cents per $100 of assessed value.
One of the primary factors affecting the education tax rate is the Town’s Common Level of Appraisal, or CLA. The CLA measures how closely the Town’s assessed property values match current market values:
CLA = Total Assessed Value ÷ Total Estimated Market Value
The CLA does not directly change the assessed value shown on your property tax bill. Instead, Vermont uses the CLA to adjust each municipality’s education property tax rate so that education taxes are applied more fairly across the state.
- A CLA below 100% means the Town’s assessed values are generally lower than current market values, causing the education tax rate to be adjusted upward.
- A CLA above 100% means assessed values are generally higher than current market values, causing the education tax rate to be adjusted downward.
The Vermont Department of Taxes calculates the CLA annually by reviewing recent qualified property sales in each municipality.
Middlesex’s CLA has continued to decline:
2024: 71.72%
2025: 65.33%
2026: 56.47%
This means the Town’s assessed property values are, on average, only about 56% of current market value. This growing difference between assessed values and market values is why Middlesex needs a town wide reappraisal.
Municipal Tax Rate
The Select Board has approved a Municipal Tax Rate of $0.8210 per $100 of assessed value.
The 2026 Municipal Grand List is:
$2,405,973
The total municipal tax effort is:
$1,975,375.98
The municipal tax effort is the amount that must be raised through property taxes after subtracting anticipated Town and State revenues from the total municipal budget. These anticipated revenues may include interest income, zoning and licensing fees, delinquent-tax interest and penalties, PILOT payments, hold-harmless payments, and State Aid to Highways.
What is the PILOT Program? Click Here
What is Hold Harmless? Click here
The Municipal Tax Rate is calculated as follows:
$1,975,375.98 ÷ $2,405,973 = $0.8210
Please keep in mind that some revenue figures are anticipated amounts and may differ from the amounts ultimately received.
Local Agreement Tax Rate
The Local Agreement Tax Rate will remain $0.0026 per $100 of assessed value.
The Local Agreement relates to property-tax exemptions for certain qualifying disabled veterans and eligible surviving family members.
The State provides a basic exemption of $10,000 in assessed value, and Middlesex voters increased the exemption to $40,000 in assessed value.
Although qualifying property owners are not taxed on the exempt portion of their property value, the Town must still collect the education taxes that would otherwise have been generated by that value. The lost education-tax revenue is therefore spread across the Town’s taxable properties through the very small Local Agreement Tax Rate.
Total 2026 Tax Rates
When the education, municipal, and Local Agreement rates are combined, the approximate total rates are:
Homestead/Residential Tax Rate: $2.9927 per $100 of assessed value
Non-Homestead/Non-Residential Tax Rate: approximately $2.87 per $100 of assessed value
For example, a Homestead property assessed at $100,000 would have a total property tax of approximately:
$100,000 ÷ 100 × $2.9927 = $2,992.70
This example is before any applicable State Property Tax Credit, veteran exemption, or other adjustment.
Click here for Redacted Tax Year 2026 Tax Bills
Click here for Tax Bill Insert
Select Board Presentation for July 14,2026 Special Tax Rate Meeting
ACH form for paying your taxes—-time savings for the Town!
Comparison of CLA and Tax Rates